Sunday, April 12, 2015

REFUGEE - My ExMormom Anthem

So does the word REFUGEE fit a person who has escaped Mormonism? Oh, yes. A person who flees for refuge or safety? Yes again. A person who flees a power to escape danger or persecution? For sure. But does Mormonism really constitute a danger? Definitely. Mormonism imposes danger on a person's psyche and mental well-being. It attempts to take away a person's free will. It takes them on a guilt trip extraordinaire. It holds people hostage by saying that if they turn their backs on Mormonism that they are throwing away their eternal salvation, thereby ensuring that they will not be part of their eternal family unit. The chance to have a Forever Family will be denied them. Mormonism gives people the message that if they don't understand certain things, it is their own fault - that they are unworthy and unrighteous. Routinely, "apostates" face the persecution of being ridiculed and even shunned by members of the Mormon Church as well as their own family members. I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture.So much of this song speaks to me about my Exit from Mormonism. How I would have liked to known that my father (who was very pious and dogmatic about Mormonism) would have told me, "Listen, it don't matter to me, Diane, you believe what you want to believe." But of course, I knew that wouldn't happen, that if I had told him I no longer believed in Mormonism and had left the church, instead he would condemn me and tell me I was going to H-E-L-L. And so I never told him, mainly because he was 90 years old when I left the church and he died two years later. Sometimes I wish I had told him so we could have had a conversation about my reasons. But that thought is really quite delusional because that was no way he would have participated in an actual discussion about the topic. So I kept quiet because I didn't want to destroy the relationship we had (which was fairly easy to do since I lived in California, and he lived in Utah).So yes, in many ways, I do feel that I was kicked around some. And for a long time, I did lay there and revel in my abandon. But like Tom Petty points out, everybody's had to fight to be free. I finally did fight to be free, and I have never regretted the choice I made to extricate myself from such an unhealthy, stifling environment. Now I am living an authentic life, and am truly happy.

In October 2010, I attended my first Ex-Mormon Foundation Conference - and during my road trip from Denver to Salt Lake City, I played and sang this song over and over again. When I drove over the border from Wyoming into Utah, I blasted this song and sang it at the top of my lungs. Felt so good!!So here's my Ex-Mormon Anthem...REFUGEE by Tom Petty

We got somethin', we both know it,We don't talk too much about it,Ain't no real big secret all the same,Somehow we get around it.Listen, it don't really matter to me babyYou believe what you want to believe.

You see, you don't have to live like a refugee(Don't have to live like a refugee).

Honey, it don't make no difference to me, babyEverybody's had to fight to be free.

You see, you don't have to live like a refugee(Don't have to live like a refugee)No baby, you don't have to live like a refugee(Don't have to live like a refugee)No!

Baby we ain't the first,I'm sure a lot of other lovers been burned.Right now, this ain’t real to you,But it's one of those thingsYou gotta feel to be true.

Somewhere, somehow, somebodyMust have kicked you around some.Who knows, maybe you were kidnapped,Tied up, taken away and held for ransom.Honey, it don't really matter to me, babyEverybody's had to fight to be free.

You see, you don't have to live like a refugee

(Don't have to live like a refugee)No, you don't have to live like a refugee(Don't have to live like a refugee)Now you don't have to live like a refugee(Don't have to live like a refugee).

About Me

MY EXIT FROM MORMONISM

As a preface to my thoughts about Mormonism (and my exit from my lifelong religion), I would like to share the following quote:

"Well, it's either true or false. If it's false, we're engaged in a great fraud. If it's true, it's the most important thing in the world. Now, that's the whole picture. It is either right or wrong, true or false, fraudulent or true."

President Gordon B. Hinckley,Interview, "The Mormons,"PBS Documentary, April 2007

In essence, after researching the roots of Mormonism, which obviously form its foundation, as well as examining its doctrine in depth, I have concluded that it is a great fraud. Having been born and raised in the Mormon Church, and remaining LDS until my early 50's, facing that realization was very difficult and was not done lightly.

SOME BACKGROUND:In the Summer of 2001, I went on a Mormon Church History Tour. Before going, I decided to do some research so I would know more about what occurred at the key places when we visited them. But that was the beginning of the end for me as I discovered more and more of the sordid history of the Mormon Church. Soon, I began to realize that Joseph Smith made the whole thing up and that the Mormon Church is built on an enormous stack of lies. Sadly, I also began to realize that I had allowed the Mormon Church to pull the wool over my eyes for a very long time. But even with that realization, it took me quite a while longer to finally break away because of how intricately my life was tied up in Mormonism and how long I had been blinded by the lies Mormonism perpetuates (which, of course, is what they are counting on).

But finally, I did break away - and I have now been Mormonism Free since 2004. What I have realized during the ensuing years is that my intellectual curiosity was squelched by Mormonism. Being told to "have faith" and "just believe" was very detrimental to my psyche, particularly since so much made little sense. Trying to rationalize through everything had a negative effect on me as well, making me very confused and uncomfortable. Since that time, I have discovered that these types of feelings are called "cognitive dissonance" (a feeling of discomfort when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting ideas, beliefs, values or emotional reactions). Cognitive dissonance is discussed in greater length in a book I have written which is now available on Kindle. Since leaving Mormonism behind, I have grown so much and have discovered who I really am - and that is a tremendous gift.

As mentioned above, a book I have written is now available on Kindle. My book (entitled "Closing the Door on Mormonism: The AHA!! Moments that Triggered my Awakening") chronicles my very long journey through and away from Mormonism and discussed many of the issues that had plagued me for many years. It also contains some poems that I have written about my views concerning various aspects of Mormonism as well as discussions relative to the issues that led to my decision to eventually disassociate myself from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In sharing my opinions and the information I have uncovered, it is my hope that I can in some small way help others by offering some insights into issues that many Mormons undoubtedly face in determining whether or not their faith has been misplaced.

For those of you who are thinking, "Oh, those Ex-Mormons - they can leave the church but they just can't seem to leave it alone," I offer this quote:

"Some of you are probably thinking, 'Why don't you just leave them (the Mormons) alone?' So I ask you, if you saw a thirsty man drinking water from a well you knew to be poisoned, would you let him continue to drink or would you guide him to a safe well?" ~Christopher Miller

While I'm sure that active Mormons (TBMs) and the Mormon Church itself would be much happier if people who have left the church kept their opinions to themselves, I cannot do that. If I can help one person to see the lies that are laced throughout Mormonism, then I will feel that my efforts have not been in vain.

As you will note, I have written many LDS Hymn Parodies (to date, 111 and counting), all of which are posted on my other blog - http://exmormonhymnbook.blogspot.com/On that blog, you will also find an alphabetical listing of all the hymn parodies I have written.

﻿Such profound words from an amazing man. With Steve Jobs' death earlier this week, the world lost a real genius, a true visionary who...

James 1:5 Revisited

Mormonism for Mormons

Sadly, most Mormons don't even know the true origins of their religion, its actual history, or what the church really believes. They simply accept what their Mormon leaders tell them and don't do any research on their own. The description on this book should actually read, "Helping cult members learn what non-members and Ex-Mormons already know."

Another bad idea...

MORMONISM SCHISM on FACEBOOK

Favorite Quotes

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off." ~Gloria Steinem

"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” ~Abraham Lincoln

"Some things that are true are not very useful." Boyd K. Packer

"I have a hard time with historians, because historians idolize the truth." ~Boyd K. Packer

"It's impossible to reach good conclusions with bad information... We're all entitled to our own opinions, but none of us can afford to be wrong in our facts." ~Mort Crim

"...just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it." ~George Costanza (Seinfeld)

Questioning Mormonism?

Time Magazine, Aug. 4, 1997

Newsweek, June 5, 2011

Larry King - Interview with LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley on December 26, 2004